Conservation Colorado

Conservation Colorado is a Denver-based 501(c)(4) environmental advocacy organization. Formed in 2013 through a merger of Colorado Conservation Voters and the Colorado Environmental Coalition, it is widely described as the state's largest environmental group. The organization advocates for clean energy, public lands protection, and stricter regulations on the oil and gas industry. It produces an annual scorecard tracking state legislators' votes on environmental issues and is widely described as promoting left-of-center environmental policies.

The organization is a primary backer of No Pollution in the Constitution, an issue committee opposing Amendment 82. The 2026 ballot measure would establish a state constitutional right to purchase and sell natural gas. Conservation Colorado has contributed at least $317,000 to the opposition campaign, arguing the measure would protect the fossil fuel industry, raise utility bills, and undermine local health and safety regulations.

Conservation Colorado frequently engages in state electoral and legislative politics. In response to the introduction of Amendment 82 by the conservative group Advance Colorado, Conservation Colorado filed four competing 2026 ballot measures aimed at increasing oil and gas operators' liability for environmental damages. The organization is also a primary supporter of Proposition 137, a 2026 measure to route existing tax revenue to conservation and wildfire mitigation. In 2019, the group supported state legislation that expanded the regulatory authority of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. The organization is led by CEO Kelly Nordini.